LOS ANGELES, April 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The Beatles Anthology DVD, released
April 1, 2003, debuts at the number one position on Billboard's DVD Music
Video Chart and on the Music Video Chart, having sold nearly 59,000 units in
the first week. This is the biggest Music Video DVD boxset debut in the
soundscan era.
    The Beatles Anthology DVD is the apogee of a series, which continues to
break records. The Beatles Anthology was first shown in 1995, when John, Paul,
George and Ringo told The Beatles' story for the first time. The Anthology
project caused a worldwide sensation as it launched the highest rated
worldwide broadcast television event of the year. Directly following the TV
special came three double-CD sets, all of which consecutively debuted at the
number one spot on the Billboard charts, and which featured the first new
Beatles recordings in 25 years -- "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love". In 1996,
they released the series on VHS, which debuted at number one on the Billboard
Music Video Chart, and in 1997, won 3 Grammy Awards -- Best Music Video Long
Form for the Anthology VHS Box Set, and Best Music Video Short Form as well as
Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for the single "Free As A
Bird". In 2000 Chronicle books published the best selling Beatles Anthology,
which is now available in paperback.
    The Beatles Anthology DVD boxset features all of the original eight
episodes that candidly reveal the story of how the four lads from Liverpool
changed everything. All 10 hours of the original Anthology series are on four
DVD discs, but the boxset has an additional 81-minute fifth disc of special
features which include the last jam session of Paul, George and Ringo playing
non-Beatles material. Nearly all the footage on the special features disc has
never been seen before.
    Technically, the DVDs offer a spectacular audio/visual experience,
featuring re-graded picture quality and new audio mastering including
5.1-surround sound and a new stereo PCM soundtrack.
    "Like all great artists, The Beatles' music is timeless and their story
continues to be relevant to all music lovers," says Capitol Records President
and CEO Andrew Slater.
    The Beatles catalog has taken major jumps on the Billboard Pop Catalog
Chart this week, including the return to the #1 chart position for the Beatles
1 CD, with sales now approaching 9 million copies in the US alone.

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